


Possibly Maybe

by Dekka



Category: Men's Hockey RPF
Genre: Fainting, M/M, Marriage Proposal
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-26
Updated: 2018-12-26
Packaged: 2019-09-27 21:28:09
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,234
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17169710
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dekka/pseuds/Dekka
Summary: Two years after their first date, Auston turns an engagement ring nervously in his pocket, his brow dotted with sweat and his stomach turning viciously.“Marns would never turn you down,” Willy promises, but even his hands shake as he smooths down the collar of Auston’s button down over his tie.





	Possibly Maybe

Mitch thinks he could love Auston. 

Between nights spent in front of the tv, drives home from the practice rink, and dawns in nameless cities, they’ve become something more than just friends. 

It’s not easy to describe what Mitch feels. Somedays it’s inexplicable anger. Somedays it’s a want, a heat in his stomach that makes him squirm. And somedays, it’s a fondness, a flutter in his chest that he tries and fails to cough away.

There isn’t some grand story to proceed them. It’s a regular Tuesday night when they finally get their shit together. And, despite the claims, it’s Mitch who asks out Auston. 

The honeymoon period lasts less than two hours; they’re too close, too intimate, to be wooed by puppy love. 

It all happens fast, but it still doesnt feel fast enough. 

Two years after their first date, Auston turns an engagement ring nervously in his pocket, his brow dotted with sweat and his stomach turning viciously. 

“Marns would never turn you down,” Willy promises, but even his hands shake as he smooths down the collar of Auston’s button down over his tie. 

“This isn’t too much? Or too little?” 

Auston’s eyes cant help but sweep over his candle-lit apartment, the Christmas tree him and Mitch decorated together shining bright in the corner of the living room, and the Toronto city stretched in front of them from the kitchen windows. The snow covered balconies and skyscraper rooftops set a scene he remembers having shocked him that first season he played here, but now there’s no surprise at the breath-taking sight. It just feels like home. 

“This is perfect,” Will promises. His reassurance doesnt stop the pounding of Auston’s heart. “You’re going to be fine.” 

It’s getting hot in the room, the lights seemingly too bright. For a second, the ground slips but ultimately rights itself under Auston. “I’m gonna pass out,” he pants, tugging at the tie Willy just fixed around his neck. Even with it loosened, it still feels like there’s a noose wrapped around his collar. 

Then Willy’s hands are on his chest, pushing him down onto one of the chairs crowding his kitchen table. “Breathe, Matts,” he coaches. 

Auston can’t believe today’s the day. He’s going to ask Mitch to marry him. Their whole relationship hangs on one question. This could be it for him forever, or it could break him. 

If after everything- every all nighter, kitchen dance party, and car karaoke concert- Auston looses the one person who got him through bad days, homesickness, anxiety, and rough games, he’s not sure if he could recover from that. His everything would be gone. 

_Mitch_ could be gone. 

They could really be over after this. 

“ _Auston_.”

…Or they could be getting married. 

There would be flowers, and his Mom crying as they have their first mother-son dance, and his Dad toasting him and Mitch- _his husband_ \- to a lifetime of happiness. 

Auston doesnt know what’s more terrifying: that Mitch could turn him down, or that Mitch could say yes. Maybe he’d want a house together, or a dog, or - _holy shit_ \- _kids_.

It’s wild, even sickening in an odd way, knowing everything is going to change no matter what Mitch’s answer is. 

“ _You have to breathe, dude, please_.” 

Auston doesnt hear a thing, too busy watching his vision pull in, dark edges gaining ground, and then he’s staring at his ceiling, two voices and figures arguing over him. 

Despite the pounding in his head, the rest of him feels suspiciously relaxed and dangerously heavy. If it weren’t for the uncomfortable sprawl of his body on the floor, he’d be sure he’s just waking up from a goodnight’s sleep and not from passing out. 

“ _What the fuck did you do_?” 

He’d know Mitch’s voice anywhere. 

Reflexively, he reaches for his boyfriend, his hand landing heavily in Mitch’s lap. It’s scooped up and held in a frantic scramble, Mitch’s palm warm against his. 

“You’re so clammy, Aus. Are you okay? Can you sit up?” It’s too much all at once. He tries to pull himself up, but his attempt is pathetic at best. He can only manage to nod to try to reassure, shushing Mitch’s worry even as his eyes dizzily stay shut. 

“What happened?” Willy’s scrambled response to Mitch’s question sounds just as frantic as Mitch’s tone, but Auston can’t care enough to listen, too busy focused on finding the strength to open his eyes and sit up. That changes once he registers the dead silence around him. He prays nothing gave away his plan to propose, but then Mitch is stuttering, dropping Auston’s hand. 

“Why- _is that- oh my God_ -”

Mitch’s breathless, panicked, choked-off words are enough to send adrenaline shooting through Auston, his eyes flying open and his hand instantly shooting to his suit pocket hoping to find the ring. 

...His hand meets an empty pocket. 

In defeat, his head falls back heavily against the wood floor, his eyes slipping closed to panic for just a second before he braces himself and faces his boyfriend. 

Mitch’s face is a mask of shock, his own eyes burning into Auston’s and his chest heaving as he looks from Auston, to Willy, to the ring in quick succession. 

It’s now or never. 

He forces himself to take a deep breath and sit up. 

Mitch’s eyes refuse to let up from his, not leaving Auston’s even as he blushes under the gaze, gathering both the ring and it’s box up off the floor. 

Neither of them notice Willy carefully backing up, giving them space. They’re their own world of two right now, a quiet hum surrounding them from the electricity of the moment. 

All Auston can focus on is the way Mitch’s throat works as he gulps, his eyes wide as ever. 

“Auston,” Mitch can barely get out words, “why is there a ring on the floor?” 

It’s not how he imagined his proposal going, but Auston should’ve known better; him and Mitch have never been very conventional. 

Somehow, it makes it easier, it makes it more _them_. 

Auston pushes himself up to one knee, heart pounding steadily now, his hands quiet as he holds out the ring. 

“Mitch?” He asks, a nervous smile already starting to break over his face at how his boyfriend crumples, his hand reaching for Auston’s to ground himself. 

“Yeah?” Tears are shinning in his eyes. 

Auston takes a deep, calming breath and then a jump of faith. “Will you marry me?” 

Like it was never a question, Mitch nods, fumbling with Auston to shove the ring on his finger so that they can finally- _finally_ \- come together, Mitch collapsing forward into Auston’s arms. He’s still half kneeling, trying his best to hold them both up, but it becomes a losing battle. 

They fall back to the floor together, hands grabbing at each other wherever they can just to hold on to the moment and what they have. 

Auston’s too happy for rational, calm thoughts. “ _He said yes_ ,” repeats like a frantic mantra in his head. It’s all he knows and it’s all that matters. 

 

Later, when Willy shows them and the team the video he sneakily took of Auston’s proposal, he’s ribbed endlessly. Even months later he’s mercilessly teased, but still, it’s worth it to see the gleam of metal wrapped tightly around Mitch’s ring finger, promising years of happiness and a forever of love.

**Author's Note:**

> Comments feed the writer :)


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